In the process of buying my first home...

[96Firebird]

After renting for years, at age 27 its time to buy my first home. I have the inspection coming up this weekend, and want to know everything I should look for when going through the house with a fine-toothed comb. It is a fairly new build (2003), but I still want to make sure it is solid and corners weren't cut during construction... Any advice?

FWIW - It is a 1577 sq. ft. contemporary colonial, 2 story with walk-out unfinished basement, block foundation is visible on the sides/back from the outside.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Check from the outside in. Check drainage, is grade below siding, was ac and other utilities installed to code, check vents and soffits, check garage if applicable...

Remember that inspectors won't look behind things and there must be easy access or, they won't even look in the attic. Your best bet is to get a copy of the form the inspector will use so you can note any questions you have before the inspection.

 

[nisryus]

NY is cool in winter, I would check the insulation in the attic. If the owner had any additions done to the house, check if the structure complies with the code.

One of my coworker put a raised patio as his porch done a few years back.. without permit. It semi-collapsed last year and one of his neighbor got hurt. it was a mess.

 

[gururu2]

the inspector will explain just about everything he/she finds as he/she is walking around. they wont make comments on the quality of workmanship usually but will focus on code compliance. for example, if the seller is a flipper, the inspector wont tell you if the grouting is uneven but will tell you if the drain pipes are installed incorrectly under the sink. pay particular attention to:
water damage (stain/discoloration on ceiling, carpet, flooring, walls or mold)
smells (damp/moldy, some pet smells will never go away without a reflooring)
rough looking repair work on walls or ceiling (indicative of quick fixes to conceal an underlying problem like fire or water damage)
outside gutter design and drainage from home as mentioned above
see for yourself that the hvac is working on cool and heat. bring something you can hold up to the vents in case the inspector doesn't have one.

 

[96Firebird]

Thanks for the input guys, I'll definitely be following the inspector around and asking all the questions that come to mind... For reference, this is a sample report on the inspecting company's website: http://warreninspect.com/sample-report.html The guy I got received a degree in Civil Engineering and has his NYS P.E. license. Used to be a home builder, so hopefully he can give me some input on finishing the basement...

Here is the house I am in the process of buying. Looking at the images, does anything else stand out that should be double-checked?

 

[MustISO]

Built in 2003 there shouldn't be many issues. Leaks, wood rot and pests (rodent/insects) would be the biggest things to look for. Check the attic carefully, the foundation, the basement if it's more than a crawlspace should be carefully inspected. Anything they added that requires a permit should be verified.

 

[NutBucket]

At least with an unfinished basement any water issues should be easy to spot.

 

[Aikouka]

I'd try and keep an eye out for any work (large or small!) that hasn't been done well. If you find something like that, I wouldn't be surprised that the lackluster handyman has done work elsewhere. Also, I hope your inspector really is as good as you say he is, because I'm at the point where I think my inspector did a pretty terrible job. Let's just say that if he had pointed out the things that I've found (with what little knowledge I've gained), I wouldn't have bought this house.

 

[boomerang]

At 15 or 16 years the roof would be a big concern for me. Homes are built with the cheapest materials that can be found and a 20 year roof only lasts about 15.

After a bad experience I will no longer pay a home inspector. If you are not the slightest bit handy I can see a value to their services. If you can do things around the house yourself, you'll notice what the inspector is going to notice. The inspector can't see inside the walls.

Nowadays, at least in Michigan, many of the municipalities are going to send out their own inspector looking for code violations. Those are the guys you've really got to fear as a seller. They put my BIL through the wringer finding item after item and each inspector sent out to make sure that what the previous inspector found was corrected found something else. As a buyer you want to make sure the contract calls for anything that that inspector finds must be corrected at the sellers expense.

 

[spacejamz]

Is this inspector doing the inspection for your lending company before you close? They may/may not have YOUR best interest when doing the inspection, only the best interest of the lending company.

When we bought our first house in 2003, we were in same boat and didn't really know what to look for so we hired our own inspector...Back then and in this area, the cost was about 10% of the home's selling price.

He did a pretty good job of checking things out (ran all of the faucets in the house for 5 minutes to make sure everything drained, checked the roof, ran some tests on the electrical, etc)....

 

[96Firebird]

The inspecting company was chosen by me, with recommendations from friends as well as fellow car enthusiasts on a local car forum. It is typical for home inspections to be done before buying a house here, and as far as I know always done by a company of your own choosing. My realtor had a recommended company to use, but I didn't use them... I think the company I hired is a little on the high side as far as cost goes ($330 without radon testing), but for the little bit of peace of mind I think its worth it.

 

[twinrider1]

At least with an unfinished basement any water issues should be easy to spot.

And inspect the quality of the 1st floor joists/flooring.

Given the age of the home, start saving for the big mechanical stuff; HVAC, water heater, and roof.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Don't forget to check the structure of the deck and how it's attached to the house as well as how the railing is attached.

 

[96Firebird]

Thanks guys, I'll keep this all in mind. The house has PEX plumbing, anything to be concerned about there?

 

[Aikouka]

I think the company I hired is a little on the high side as far as cost goes ($330 without radon testing), but for the little bit of peace of mind I think its worth it.

That's not bad. When I was looking up inspectors here, most of them were $300 with $200 for radon testing. Inspection is a big business in Alabama because sellers do not have to legally disclose issues that they know about, and sellers will likely be shady as hell in covering up anything. For example, a friend of mine's wife's parents bought a house a bit closer to them. Everything seemed great -- they even got a free couch thrown in! Yeah, turns out there was some fairly bad water damage hidden under that couch. :\

When I was looking at the house, I had that same friend come with me to take a peek. I figured that as a homeowner, he's probably run into some issues that he may know to keep an eye out for. He didn't really notice much, and I probably should've expected it given he's the "I'll pay someone else to do it" type. Another one of my friends came over after I bought the house, and sheesh... if I had known that his dad made him do a bunch of construction stuff in the past, I would've had him come with me! He just sat there pointing out everything that was done incorrectly from poorly painted seams, improperly-sized underlayment, etc. You know... things that reek of a crummy handyman doing a bunch of shoddy work.

Thanks guys, I'll keep this all in mind. The house has PEX plumbing, anything to be concerned about there?

PEX is fine. It has a lower chance of cracking when the weather is cold compared to copper, and less chance someone will want to steal it.

 

[NetWareHead]

Is this inspector doing the inspection for your lending company before you close? They may/may not have YOUR best interest when doing the inspection, only the best interest of the lending company.

This is most likely a appraiser, who also performs an inspection role. The appraiser assesses the value of the house and also performs an inspection to make sure the bank is going to finance a habitable property. Some loans require the buyer to put down a certain % amount down payment and this is calculated from the appraised amount, not derived from the selling price.

I did an FHA loan and the appraisal was even more stringent. The entire outside of the house was flaking and needed to be repainted; one of the contingencies FHA placed on the sale before they would finance the deal.

Anyway, the point is the appraiser is beholden to the bank so you want your own inspector that works in your best interests.

 

[96Firebird]

Just to give a little update, the inspection went really well. I followed him around, and he showed me little things here and there that should get fixed (bottom siding on rear wasn't secure, flashing around basement windows, better connection between stairs and deck), as well as little flaws with the house (cracked foundation due to settling, bowed foundation next to garage). Just three things that I'm having the sellers fix - dryer wasn't working, cracked window in basement, and plumbing from washer drain looked like it had a previous leak (having plumber check it out). Otherwise the mechanics of the house seem sound and in working condition. We spent most of the time in the basement, but also checked out appliances and the rest of the house.

Pending the issues get fixed, and my mortgage process goes smoothly, I could be closing by the end of next month. Then the fun times of home ownership slap me in the face.

 

[NutBucket]

We want pics....

 

[NutBucket]

Some loans require the buyer to put down a certain % amount down payment and this is calculated from the appraised amount, not derived from the selling price.

I would think any loan would be based on appraised value and not selling price.

 

[NetWareHead]

I would think any loan would be based on appraised value and not selling price.

The loan is based on the selling price; you only borrow what you need. The bank still appraises the house to discover its true value regardless of the selling price.

 

[NutBucket]

I meant in the case where selling price is above appraised value.

Sorry, I'm used to my market where list price is just a starting point

 

[96Firebird]

We want pics....

Here are some pics from the inspection report:

I think the PEX manifold is pretty cool, both outdoor spigots were already shut off for the winter but we tested them anyways.

I have some pics from the listing, but they are on my phone... I'll post some soon.